Hiya,
Firstly, congratulations on your offer! Secondly, navigating colleges and college preference can be quite intimidating and tricky but it seems that you've already made a start, which is great
Like you said, students tend to choose their college based on whether they want catered or self catered, and we have a variety of colleges for both options. Catered for some people is more coinvent as you don't have to cook but the downside is food preference and whether you like the food and sticking to the specific meal times. With self catered, you get the option of full control over your meals as you're the one making them, which can also be a downside for people who don't want to or don't like to choose or don't have the time. So both options have their pros and cons.
People also choose their college based on whether they want a Hill or Bailey college. Bailey is more 'traditional', whereas Hill is more modern but either way, there isn't much of a difference between them other than location and stereotype/aesthetic. Distance to campus is somewhat important but as we are a campus city, first years will have their lectures/seminars all over the place so proximity to your department isn't crucial in first year. Lastly, people also tend to choose colleges based on facilities, sports, clubs, societies, etc.
With that being said, whichever college you choose or are allocated, you will find an amazing community of people there so don't stress too much
Help! How do I pick a college? – The Durham StudentTo cater, or not to cater? That is the question. – The Durham StudentI've included the link to one of our student blogs on how to pick a college and catered vs self catered colleges, if you'd like to have a read through, it can provide some great insight!
Best of Luck and I hope this helps
-Ghala